Automatic fan attachment for rocking-chairs, cradles, &amp;c.



No. 633,00l. Patented Sept. l2, I899. E. GRIFFITT.

AUTOMATIC FAN ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING CHAIRS, CBADLES, 8w.

(Applicatiun filed Feb. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EMANUEL JrRIFFITT, OF LINDALE, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY A.POWERS, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC FAN ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING-CHAIRS, CRADLES, dc.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 633,001, dated September12, 1899.

Application filed February 2'7, 1899. Serial No. 707,018. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL GRIFFITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lindale, in the county of Floyd and State of Georgia, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Fan Attachment for Rocking-Chairs,Cradles, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in automatic fan attachments forrocking-chairs, cradles, and the like.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction offan attachments for rocking-chairs, cradles, and the like and to providea simple, inexpensive, and efficient one adapted to be readily mountedon a rocking-chair at the back, side, or front and capable of beingoperated by the rocking thereof and of afiording a comparatively strongand steady current of air.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fan attachmentconstructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to arocking-chair. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the upperportion of the device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view ofthe clamp. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the same. Fig. 5 is adetail view of the fan-shaft.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a support consisting of a rod or stem 2 and a substantiallyU -shaped bracket 3, mounted upon the upper end of the stem or support,which is forked, as shown, to provide an additional support for thebracket, and the latter consists of a bottom cross-piece andupwardly-extending arms 4 and 5, in which is journaled a horizontalfanshaft 6. The arm 4 has its upper end bifurcated to form a bearing 7,and the fan-shaft is provided with an annular groove which receives thebifurcated portion of the arm 4 and which is located near one end of theshaft.

This end 8 of the shaft isprovided with an opening in which is securedthe stem or handle 9 of a fan 10, which is located beyond the bracketand is adapted to clear the adjustable rod or stem, as shown. The otherarm 5 of the bracket is bent upon itself to provide an opening or spacefor the reception of gearing, hereinafter described, and it is providedwith upper bearing-perforations 11 for the reception of the adjacent endof the shaft 6. A pinion 12 is mounted on the end 13 of the shaft 6 andis arranged within the opening or space of the arm 5 and meshes with anoscillating gear 14, to which is connected a weight 15. The weight 15 isadapted to oscillate back and forth and is actuated by the motion of therocking-chair 16, and this oscillation is adapted to produce a rapidrotation of the fan-shaft, so that a steady and continuous current ofair is afforded by the device. The gear-wheel 14 is journaled on a shortshaft 17, which may be fastened by any suitable fastening device, andthe weight 15 is connected with the gear-wheel by a bar 19, which may besecured to the gear-wheel at the periphery thereof, but which may beextended to the shaft or pivot 17. The movement of the rocking-chair isadapted to oscillate the weight sufficiently to produce at least acomplete rotation of the fan-shaft, and the extent of the rotationthereof may be varied by employing different sizes of pinions andgear-wheels, as will be readily understood.

The vertically-adjustable rod or stem of the support is secured to therocking-chair by a clamp 20, provided with a pair of rigid jaws 21,having parallel engaging faces, and one of the jaws has a clamping-screw22 mounted upon it and adapted to engage a portion of the rocking-chair.In order to enable the clamp to be readily arranged to engage anyportion of a rocking-chair, it is provided at one end with an extension23, projecting beyond the adjacent jaw and having perforations 24 and 25arranged at right angles to each other and either one of which isadapted to receive a threaded shank 27, provided at one end with an eye28 and having a nut 29 at the other end. At each of the perforations 24and 25 is arranged an annular series of recesses 30, formed in anannular flange and providing opposite seats for the adjustable rod orstem, whereby when the nut is tightened the said rod or stem will beSeen rely held against movement in any direction independent of theclamp. This construction permits the rod or stem to bemoved'longitudinally or rotated on the threaded shank, so as to set thefan at any inclination and at any desired elevation. The bar or lever towhich the weight is attached is provided with a perforation and may beconnected by a pitnian wilh any suitable motive power to enable the fanto be used independently of a rockingehair, crib, or other oscillatingdevice.

The invention has the following advantages: The automatic fan attachmentfor rocking-chairs, cribs, cradles, and the like is simple andcomparatively inexpensive in construction and is provided with anadjustable clamping device adapted to be arranged at any desired angleand in the desired position to enable it to engage the back, side,front, or other portion of a rocking-chair, cradle, or the like, and theinclination of the fan may be readily varied to arrange the weightcentrally of the rocking-chair or cradle, so that it may be' operated atthe expenditure of a minimum amount of power and without apparentlyincreasing the exertion necessary to produce a rocking of the chair orcradle.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction Within the scope of the appended claims, such as vary ingthe construction of the bearings and the number of fans employed, may beresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising aclamp, a stem secured to the clamp, a rigid U-shaped bracketcarried atthe upper end of the stem, the horizontal fan-shaft 6 journaled in thebracket, a fan at one end of the fan-shaft, a pinion mounted on theother end of the fan-shaft, a gear journaled on the bracket, and adepending arm fastened to the gear and carrying a weight, the end of thebracket adjacent to the gearing being bent upon itself to providesupports and a housing for the gearing, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a bracket having a stem, afan mounted on the bracket, means for operating the fan, a clamp havingjaws, and provided with perforations arranged at right angles, saidclamp having a flange provided with an annular series of recesses aroundeach of the said perforations, a shank adapted to be arranged in eitherof the said perforations and provided with an eye receiving the stem,and means for adjusting the shank and for engaging the stem with therecesses, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IMANUEL GRIFFITT. lVitnesses:

M. E. Donn, R. K. ROBERTS.

